Ashland Area YMCA River Monsters Make Waves at State Swim Meet
Sasha Bush
The Ashland Beacon
Months of rigorous training, early morning practices, and relentless dedication paved the way for the Ashland Area YMCA River Monsters' stellar performance at the state swim meet. Under the guidance of their coaches and fueled by their collective ambition, they arrived at the state swim meet ready to compete and bring home the hardware.
Head Coach of the Ashland Area YMCA River Monsters, Billy Cox, shared before the meet began, “We are very excited. We have a couple of girls that are trying to make national cuts. In fact, we already have several swimmers from other teams that have already made national cuts. This is going to be a really good meet. There is going to be a lot of competition, and we are going to see some amazing swimmers.” With over 400 swimmers competing, the competition was tough. Every swimmer was ready to paddle his/her way to victory.
From the very first race, it was clear that the swimmers of the Ashland Area YMCA River Monsters team meant business. The River Monsters had around 36 swimmers compete in the state swim meet. With precision and power, they all surged through the water, leaving their competitors trailing in their wake. Event after event, they showcased their talent and determination, breaking records, setting new personal bests, and captivating the audience with their performances. Check out what these amazingly talented swimmers accomplished at the state meet:
-Boys 7-8 High Point Winner- Oliver Chapman
-Boys 7-8 High Point Runner-Up - Parker Blum
-Girls 13-14 High Point Runner-Up- Kendall Simpson
-Boys 13-14 High Point Runner-Up- Chris Peacock
-Girls 15-18 High Point Runner-Up- Elena Sandifer
10 of the Ashland Area YMCA River Monsters made zone cuts: Parker Blum, Oliver Chapman, Chris Peacock, Gavin Simpson, Ian Sarver, Elena Sandifer, Brynlee Trippett, Kendall Simpson, Ady Powers, and Maddie Whitlock.
15-year-old Brynlee Trippett of Russell placed first in the 50 m freestyle with a time of 25.58 seconds. Trippett also came in second place in the 200 m backstroke with a time of 2:15, 200 m freestyle with a time of 1:59, and the 500 m freestyle with a time 5:26. She finished third in the 100 m backstroke with a time of 1:03.
Maddie Whitlock, age 16, came in third place in the 200 m breast-stroke at 2:51.
17-year-old Elena Sandifer, set a KYCSL record for the 200 m freestyle with a time of 1:57. The previous record had been set in 1995 with a time of 1:59. Sandifer also finished in first place for the 500 m freestyle with a time of 5:20, 100 m freestyle with a time of 54.75 seconds, and the 400 m individual medley with a time of 4:52. She came in second place for the 200 m fly with a time of 2:29 and 200 m individual medley with a time of 2:15.
13-year-old Kendall Simpson, finished first in the 200 m breast-stroke with a time of 2:38, 500 m freestyle with a time of 5:40, 100 m breast-stroke with a time of 1:12, and the 200 m freestyle with a time of 2:04. Simpson also had a second-place finish in the 400 individual medley with a time of 5:04 and the 200 m individual medley with a time of 2:21.
Together, Trippett, Whitlock, Sandifer, and Simpson won first place for the 200 m medley relay with a time of 1:56 and second place in the 200 m freestyle relay with a time of 1:43.
Trippett, Sandifer, and Simpson also teamed up with Ady Powers and won first place in the 400 m freestyle relay with a time of 3:49 and came in second for the 100 m freestyle relay with a time of 55.21 seconds.
The girls weren’t the only ones that fared well at the state swim meet. Several of the Ashland Area YMCA’s boys had some amazing finishes. 12-year-old Ian Sarver brought home three first place finishes in the 11–12-year-old division for the 100 m backstroke with a time of 1:04, 100 m fly with a time of 1:07, and the 500 m freestyle with a time of 5:48. Sarver also picked up second place finishes in the 200 m freestyle with a time of 2:08 and the 50 m back with a time of 30.37 seconds.
Chris Peacock, age 14, placed first in the 200 m individual medley with a time of 2:15, 200 m fly with a time of 2:21, and the 400 m individual medley with a time of 5:00. Peacock came in second for the 100 m fly with a time of 59.74 seconds and the 200 m freestyle with a time of 2:04. He also secured a third-place finish in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:44.
15-year-old Gavin Simpson came in second place in the 100 m breast-stroke with a time of 1:05 and the 400 m individual medley with a time of 4:43.
Eight-year-old Parker Blum came in first place in the 25 m backstroke with a time of 17 seconds and placed second in the 100 m individual medley with a time of 1:26, 25 m freestyle with a time of 15.44 seconds, and the 50 m freestyle with a time of 35.54 seconds.
Oliver Chapman, age seven, snagged four first-place finishes in the 100 m individual medley with a time of 1:25, 25 m freestyle with a time of 15.01 seconds, 25 m fly with a time of 15.55 seconds, and the 50 m freestyle with a time of 33.62 seconds.
As the crowd's roar fades and the medals are displayed on walls and shelves, the Ashland Area YMCA River Monsters swim team knows their journey is far from over. With their sights set on new goals and challenges, they return home as champions, fueled by the memories of their triumphs and the knowledge that they are capable of achieving greatness.